Bedstead book holder



Jan. 22, 1929.

J. E. MORAN.

BEDSI'EAD BOOK HOLDER Filed July 21, 1925 INVENTOR Jam es 2: Moran ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES JAMEs EMILE MORAN, or WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

IBEDSTEAD BOOK HOLDER.

Application filed July 21, 1925. Serial No. 45,013.

This invention relates to reading brackets, and more particularly to an adjustable bracket adapted for attachment to a bed for holding a book in an inverted position, so as to be visible to a patient lying in said bed.

One object of this invention is to provide a device of the above nature which is adapted to be adjustably and detachably clamped to the horizontal rear bar of a bed.

. A further object is to provide a reading bracket of the above nature adapted to be adjustably supported upon a bedstead in reading position, and which may be readily swung out of the way when not in use.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings, one form in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

Fig. 1 represents a side view of the reading bracket showing its appearance when in- 0 has finlshed hls readlng, the bracket 10 may stalled in reading position upon a bed.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the base plate and supporting strip, and showing a book held in inverted position upon said base plate.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the reading bracket as it appears when supported upon a bedstead.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one jaw of the clamping member for holding the bracket upon the rear horizontal bar of a bedstead.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote correspond ing parts throughout the several views, the

numeral 10 indicates a flat base plate substantially rectangular in form and having rounded corners. The base plate 10 is adapted. to support a book 11, said book being held in open position in any suitable manner, as by rubber bands 12, passing transversely and longitudinally about said plate.

In order to adjustably support the reading bracket, each end of the base plate 10 is provided with an angle member 13, said angle member being connected by bolts 14; and wing nuts 15 to a pair of slotted side strips 16. Each of the side strips 16 is provided at its upper end with a guiding strap 17 secured to the side strip 16 by a pair of bolts 18 and 19. The bolt 19 is provided with-a washer 19 and a wing nut 20, whereby the guiding is in turn secured, as by a bolt 26, to the rear.

jaw 2701? said clamping member. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4-, the aws 25 and 27 are provided wlth cooperatmg curved fingers 27 and 28 which are adapted to encircle the rear bar 28 of a bedstead. j

The front jaw 25 is provided with a set screw 29 which is adapted to be driven inwardly into contact with the bar 28 in order to hold the clamping member from twisting about the bar. The front jaw 25 is also provided with a shoulder 30 adapted to support the arms 22 of the U-shaped member 23 to maintain the bracket in reading position as long as may be desired.

It will be understood that when the patient be pushed up and moved out of the way merely by swinging the U-shaped member 23 rearwardly until the arms 22 come into contact with the front jaws 25.

It will also be understood that while the improved reading bracket is especially adapted for use in an inclined position for overhead reading by a patient lying on his back, the bracket may also be held vertically or horizontally or in any other position. For example, the bracket may also be arranged to lie flat on the patients lap so that the book may be read while he is'in a sitting position.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit, in short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention,

what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is: j

1. In a bedstead book holder, a base plate adapted to hold a book, means for supporting said base plate in inverted position above the position of the pillow of abed comprising a pair of side strips connected to the ends of said base plate, guide straps secured to said side strips, a U-shaped member upon which said side strips and said guide straps are slidably mounted, and means for clamping said U-shaped member to the rear of the bed.

2. In a bedstead bookholder, a swinging U-shaped member, means for clamping the ends of the U-shaped member to the horizontal frame member of the head of a bedstead, a pair of depending strips at the forward extremity thereof, an inverted book supporting base secured to the lower ends of said depending strips, said. U-shaped member-being pivoted to said clamping means, whereby said bookholder may be swung out of the way when not in use, and said clampin means having a forward shoulder for holding said base in reading position above the head of the user. a

3. In a reading bracket for attachment to a bedstead, a base plateadaptedto hold a book, means for supporting said base plate in an inverted position above the position of :1

pillow of a bed comprising a pair of side strips connected to the ends of said base plate, guide straps secured to said side strips, a U-shaped member upon which said side strips are slidably mounted, each arm of said U- shaped member having a clamping member pivotally connected thereto, each of said clamping members comprising a pair of jaws adapted to engage said bedstead, and means for locking said jaws in clamping position. one of the jaws of each clamping member having a shoulder in which the adjacent arm of the U-shaped member is adapted to seat when the bracket is lying in active posit-ion. t. In a bedstead book holder, a swinging U-shaped member, a pair of. book-supporting strips depending from the base of the U- shaped member, and a pair of clam s pivotally connected to the legs of said -shaped member for adjustably securing said book holdar in any desired, position upon a bedstea In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

JAMES EMILE MO AN. 

